Profile of The Canadian Game Bird Industry

Livestock Development Division
Agriculture Development Branch

January 1991

Janet Stevens
Poultry Section

Note 1: Tables 3 (Game Birds Slaughtered at Federally Registered Establishments) and Table 4 (Trade in Game Bird Meat) have been updated and are available at the end of this document.

Note 2: In 1997, the percentage of game bird usage (see Chapter 3 - hatcheries) was questioned. Total supply of game birds and total slaughter for meat purposes was therefore re-calculated. The results are tablulated at the end of this document.

CHAPTERS

TABLES

APPENDICES

• fanciers and ornamentalists, who raise birds for pleasure and profit,
  
  
• hunters, who raise birds for release to preserves for hunting
  
  
• conservationists, who raise birds for release to the wild,
  
  
• breeders, who raise birds for breeding, and
  
  
• the meat industry, which raises birds for processing and for consumption

This profile is concerned primarily with the meat industry - the sector which raises game birds for slaughter for meat purposes.

This industry developed largely as a by-product of the hunting industry. When owners of hunting preserves had birds left over at the end of the season, they slaughtered and froze them, and then sought to market them. This was often more profitable, and offered a more predictable way of life than only raising birds for hunting, and so the industry grew.

Today it is estimated that in Canada, 9 million head are slaughtered for meat purposes, with a retail value of $24 million.

2. OBJECTIVES

Over the last few years there has been considerable interest shown in the game bird industry by potential producers, retailers and consumers. Governments and financial institutions have also questioned the potential of the industry and the extent to which it should be supported financially or by provincial or federal programs.

However, there are little or no facts or figures about the structure, size or growth of the game bird industry and therefore no means of judging its potential.

The objective of the profile is to fill this need by providing data and information about the industry which can be of use to all parties.

As a starting point in obtaining information, a survey was made of hatcheries, producers and processors across Canada. Questionnaires are found in Appendix I. The information obtained from the survey was supplemented by other documents and personal contacts.

3. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

Like broiler, chicken, turkey and egg, the game bird industry is spread across Canada, with the majority of activity in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Also, like the other poultry industries, there are three distinct sectors - hatcheries, producers and processors.

Hatcheries

All hatcheries (with the exception of waterfowl and pigeons) which have a capacity for over 1,000 hatching eggs are federally registered under either the Animal Diseases Protection Act or the Hatchery Regulations of the Livestock and Livestock Products Act. Requirements for registration under the Hatchery Regulations are stringent, and hatcheries meeting specifications are recognized as first class operations. In 1989 there were 178 federally registered hatcheries in Canada, 59 of them hatching game birds. Hatcheries hatching game bird chicks (day old birds of any species) are all ‘small’ hatcheries, hatching under 80,000 chicks per year. A distribution table of game bird hatcheries is shown in Table 1.

Most hatching eggs are produced from domestic birds. Hatching egg imports are estimated to account for less than 0.6% of set. In 1989, there were approximately 14 million game bird hatching eggs set. Chicks hatched are not all destined for the meat market. It is estimated that about 63% of chicks hatched are raised for processing for meat purposes. 30% are used for hunting preserves, and the remaining 7% for breeding, hobbyists, conservationists, etc.

Table 1 Distribution of Federally Registered Hatcheries Incubating Eggs from Game Birds - 1990

Agriculture Canada Processor Survey. 1987
A Commodity Development Strategy for the B.C. Game Bird Industry, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries

7. GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY

In the last six years, the industry, as measured by slaughter in federally inspected processing plants, has increased 63%. Exports have increased 81%. Imports have also increased, but this is not likely to be a long term trend.

Industry participants also suggest that the industry has undergone considerable expansion.

8 CONSTRAINTS TO INDUSTRY GROWTH

i) Processing Facilities

A lack of dedicated processing facilities is a constraint to increased production and marketing.

Pheasant, partridge, guinea and silkies do not require equipment or shackles different from those used for broilers in processing. However, they do require special handling, as they are ‘wild’ or flighty birds, easily bruised. A number of establishments, therefore, will not process game birds. Quail and squab require special equipment and small shackles.

Processing is not a big constraint in all provinces. Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia all have provincial and federal establishments which process game birds. Currently there are no registered establishments in the Atlantic Provinces, but there is no provincial meat inspection system either so the meat can be slaughtered and marketed in the province. Saskatchewan has no registered establishments for game birds, and city by-laws require that meat sold other than at farm gate be inspected. Neighbouring Alberta has only provincially inspected establishments which cannot then move product interprovincially. Saskatchewan is therefore caught in a situation where if their game birds are slaughtered in Alberta they cannot then be marketed beyond the farm gate in Saskatchewan.

In other provinces, the small number of federally registered establishments and their location is a restraint to interprovincial movement and exports.

ii) U.S. Imports

The threat of U.S. imports tends to be a regional problem. Since 1988, British Columbia has been suffering from low priced squab imports. Cooperatives in California produce more than 750,000 squab per annum and routinely sell excess production across the border. Unless dumping can be proven, there is nothing that can be done about imports, except to compete effectively by producing a high quality Canadian product which is cost competitive and well promoted.

iii) Bureaucratic Problems

Due to the nature of the commodity, producers of game bird meat often encounter problems unlike those of other farmers.

To raise game birds in captivity, producers have to obtain a special licence (see Section 3), whereas producers of other meat producing poultry and livestock are subject only to municipal by-laws. Providing game birds are not being released into the wild, the necessity for subjecting them to special conditions is questionable.

Tax exemptions are available for certain goods used by farmers. Producers have experienced difficulties in having the goods specific to game bird production listed in the Farm Goods List.

Similarly, game bird producers have not always been recognised as ‘farmers’ when applying for duty free entry of imported goods, farm improvement loans and other programs aimed at "farmers".

Most of the poultry commodities are under a supply management system which is frequently under attack from those economists who support a free market system. Game birds are not supply managed commodities, although they are part of the poultry industry and as such are sometimes subject to negative reactions. Occasionally this becomes evident when projects for federal and provincial funding are being considered. Under the Farm Products Marketing Agencies Act, chicken, turkey, egg and broiler hatching egg producer agencies are not eligible for appropriations, although producers and producer marketing boards may be. Game birds certainly are (depending on the terms of the program). There are many federal and provincial programs offering financing and other services to improve marketing. The game bird industry can profit from participation in these programs.

Game bird producers are often perceived as a fringe groups of hobbyists or sportsmen, rather than as yet another link in the agri-food chain.

iv) Industry Organisation

The industry in Canada is generally poorly organised, with producers competing against each other for the same markets.

Ontario has a viable Association with a group committed to meat marketing. This group in 1989, produced and printed a promotional brochure for game bird meat, with the help of a grant from Foodland Ontario.

Saskatchewan has an association and is seeking funding to do market research and develop a business plan for the marketing of pheasants in western Canada. Other Associations are listed in Appendix IV.

Associations are very valuable for sharing information on management practices, feed specifications, equipment, stock, current legislation, research, personnel changes and new techniques. It is also useful to be able to undertake joint ventures such as feed purchase, transportation, construction of processing facilities or storages or participate in cost sharing activities such as trade fairs, promotions and exports.

Associations can be effective in communicating with governments to bring about changes in tariffs, legislation, and standards, or in applying for grants and programs which often require that not just individuals but groups benefit.

The establishment of provincial associations, cooperatives or other organisations can lead to the formation of a national organisation which would be beneficial in carrying out the same functions on a national scale.

v) High Costs

The production of free range pheasants and partridge is costly in comparison with other poultry, and it has to be recognised by producers and consumers alike that they are not just ‘a different sort of chicken’. Producers using good management practices can improve many factors such as rate of lay, hatchability, and mortality. If the distinctive ‘gamey’ flavour is to be retained, then cost of production cannot be reduced by raising birds in barns using pelleted feed.

Processing of all game birds requires handling or equipment different from other poultry and processing will always be more costly than for other poultry.

High costs are not necessarily a constraint to growth, although they may be a constraint to rapid growth. Game bird meat will probably always be marketed as a selective product which will appeal to a limited section of the population only.

vi) Quality Standards

There are no grade standards for game birds and therefore no guarantee that a standard product will always reach the consumer. Lack of regulated grade standards is not necessarily a problem if the industry is in the hands of producers, processors, retailers and restauranteurs who maintain their own quality control for an exclusive market. However, if the number of players increases and strict quality controls are not maintained by industry participants themselves, it is possible that product quality will deteriorate, consumer confidence will be lost, and sales will fall. Company standards and brand names are one way to ensure maintenance of standards, the other way is to create and regulate national grading standards. Whichever option the industry chooses, given the exclusive nature of the product, then it is essential that quality be maintained.

vii) Breeding

Many producers both large and small, do a certain amount of selective breeding, which is beneficial in developing birds with desirable specifications such as disease resistance, good fleshing, high feed conversion, low aggression and cannibalistic tendencies, good egg hatchability, etc.

An Ontario producer has developed a white feather pheasant which produces a bird that when plucked has a good unblemished appearance, free from unsightly "ink spots".

According to a paper from B.C. on the game bird industry in that province, there is a particular need for scientific breeding procedures in squab and quail. It is proposed that in the former, inbred lines to produce hybrid crosses with strong reproductive and maternal characteristics be developed, and in the latter meat yields need improvement. Grimaud Frères in France is reported to have recently developed a new product, the Euro-pigeon, with good productive, conformation, and high meat qualities.

While selective breeding to develop "good" characteristics is desirable, breeders must also ensure that the standards of birds processed for the consumer market are maintained, and that culls and spent breeders are not retailed undifferentiated from premium product.

viii) Limited research

There has been limited research done in universities or other research establishments in Canada or in other countries on game bird management, diseases, breeding or nutrition. A list of establishments in North America where research on game birds is underway is given in Appendix V.

9. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

i) Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious of diet and the composition of foods. Game bird meat is ideally suited to respond to the desire for ‘healthy’ foods. Compared to other meats, pheasants and guinea fowl are high in protein, and quail is very high in iron. (Table 7).

Table 7 Composition of Foods/100 gm Raw Portion

(1) USDA, Agriculture Handbook 8-13, 1989
(2) USDA, Agriculture Handbook 8-17, 1989
(3) Canadian Nutrient File, 1988
(4) USDA, Agriculture Handbook 8-5, 1979

In addition, the majority of peasants and partridges are ‘free ranged’ in large outdoor enclosures planted with natural vegetation, and are not fed growth stimulants or supplements. This means that they can be marketed as an ‘organic’ product.

This is a niche market but one which is expanding rapidly.

ii) Turkey has traditionally been marketed as a ‘festive occasion’ bird. The turkey industry has been endeavouring to change this image and the turkey production cycles so that turkey becomes available year round, not just in the whole bird form, but in fresh and frozen parts and other further processed product. This leaves an opportunity for game bird meat further to exploit the ‘festive occasion’ market niche.

iii) The consumer is constantly demanding a variety of food and culinary experiences. Game bird meat is relatively unknown, and therefore in an excellent position to appeal to those who are seeking a different taste experience. A number of retail chains carry quail, guinea fowl and occasionally pheasant, but supplies are not always available and it is rare that there is any advertising, in-store promotions or point of purchase material.

Pheasant producers are diversifying into cuts and further processed products such as smoked meat and pheasant pies. However the market for pre-prepared game bird meals is virtually unexplored. High quality frozen entrées or hôrs d'oeuvres using game bird meat would probably be very well received, especially by double/high income couples looking for microwaveable, exotic eat-at-home meals.

Frozen prepared meals are also being increasingly used by hotels and restaurants particularly in the catering industry for banquets and receptions. Pre-prepared meals is an area which is expected to expand.

iv) Export markets appear promising, especially the Far East. Squab and silkies are very popular with the Chinese - the former is highly regarded for its perceived fertility properties, and the latter for its medicinal properties.

The Japanese favour high protein, low fat, quality meat - characteristics which are amply provided by pheasant, partridge, guinea fowl and quail.

Canada has built up steady markets in the U.S., and these are expected to continue to grow.

10 CONCLUSION

The game bird industry in Canada is small. Per capita consumption at an estimated 0.1 kg/annum is insignificant in comparison with chicken and turkey, about half that of duck, and marginally below goose consumption (see Table 8). The value of the industry at farm gate is a fraction of the value of chicken and turkey, but comparable with ducks and twice that of geese.

Table 8 Canadian Poultry Industry

(1) Estimate based on Agriculture Canada Survey, 1987
(2)Estimates based on Agriculture Canada and Statistics Canada data
(3) Statistics Canada

However, in terms of growth, in the last five years 1985-89, game bird slaughter in federally registered stations alone, has increased 62.7% which is more than three times that of chicken and turkey. Goose slaughter has increased 11%. Duck slaughter has decreased due to increasing pressure from U.S. imports.

Growth in the past five years has been due to increased exports, and improvement in the processed bird, start-up production and processing of guinea fowl, an increased interest in squab production, and an interest by the supermarkets in carrying game birds.

Growth in the next 5-10 years will ne in the following areas:

• restaurants - the trend towards eating away from home continues. This is intensified by more working women and less time for at-home food preparation. It is also boosted by an aging population and smaller households. Households of 1 or 2 persons only, spend twice as much a week on eating out than larger households. At the same time consumers have become more conscious of good eating habits. They demand ‘healthy’, ‘organic’ foods. In addition they want variety and quality.
• prepared portion packed meals - stimulated by microwave cooking, different forms of packaging such as modified atmosphere, and changing lifestyles. Ready-to-cook meals are increasingly popular both at the supermarket level and at the food services level for restaurants, pubs and institutions.

Prepared recipes such as pheasant breasts in red currant sauce, smoked quail, pheasant pies, and partridge and red cabbage casserole are likely to find a ready market in the double income, two-person household with limited time for food preparation but high expectations with regards to quality and taste sensations.

• exports - the U.S. markets will continue to expand for the same reasons as the Canadian markets will grow. Japan also will increase its purchase of quality product. If a trading bloc of continental Americas becomes a reality, then markets in Mexico and South and Central American countries will open up.

Game bird meat is a high protein, low fat source of nutrition. It is a quality high-priced product which will continue to be a speciality item but which can increase that "niche" market by diversifying into further processed.

If the whole industry - hatcheries, producers and processors, is prepared to maintain high quality standards, and develop its further processing sector and exports, then this industry has as much or more potential than any other meat industry today.

APPENDIX 1 - Survey Questionnaires

APPENDIX 1a) - Hatchery Survey - Game Birds Only

		Producer Survey Game Birds Only
1	Type of Bird (i.e. pheasant, partridge, quails, guinea fowl, squabs etc.)
2	Eggs Set/Annum (including custom set)
3	Source of Eggs (%)
	Own Production
	Custom Set
	Purchased in Province
	Purchased out of Province
	Imported
4	Hatchability(%)
5	Disposal of chicks (%)
	Reared on Premises
	Sold in Province
	Sold out of Province (Canada)
6	Overall Rate of Growth in Last 5 Years
7	Seasonality (i.e. year-round. Oct., Nov. only)
8	Is your hatchery registered under: The Livestock and Livestock Products Act..................... The Animal Diseases Protection Act....................

Information will be stored in Personal Information Bank DOA/P-P4-256 and will be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act. Other information may be accessible under the provisions of the Access to Information Act. The Collection Registration Number is DOA/ABD-496-026999.

Signature & Date

APPENDIX 1b) - Producer Survey - Game Birds Only

		Producer Survey Game Birds Only
1	Type of Bird (i.e. pheasant, partridge, quails, guinea fowl, squabs etc.)
2	Annual Production (specify head or pairs)
3	Source of Chicks (%)
	Own Hatch
	Purchased in Province
	Purchased out of Province
	Imported
4	Disposal of chicks (%)
	Hunting
	Slaughter
	Showing
	Breeding*
	Other (specify)
5	* If Breeding rate of lay per annum
6	Mortality (%)
7	Rearing Time (Weeks)
8	Feed Conversion (lbs.)
9	Disposal of Eggs (%)
	Used for Own Hatch
	Sold for Hatching (Canada)
	Sold for Hatching (Exports)
	Retail Sales
10	Overall Rate of Growth in Last 5 Years

Signature & Date

APPENDIX 1c) - Processor Survey - Game Birds Only

		Processor Survey Game Birds Only
1	Type of Bird (i.e. pheasant, partridge, quails, guinea fowl, squabs etc.)
2	Annual Slaughter (including custom kill) No. of Head
3	End Use (%)
	Custom Kill
	Sold to Retail
	Sold to Food Services
	Exported
	Other (specify)
4	Average Prices (specify price/head/kg or lb)
	To Producer
	To Retailer
	To Consumer
5	Imports Do you import product? If yes, how much (in kg)	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No	Yes No
6	Number of Producers for whom you slaughter
7	Overall Rate of Growth in Last 5 Years (%)
8	Seasonality of Slaughter (i.e. year-round, Oct. Nov. only)
9	Special Equipment
	Purchased
	Custom made
	Other (specify)

Signature & Date

APPENDIX III

SELECTED FEDERAL MARKETING PROGRAMS

Federal/Provincial

Federal/Provincial Agreements signed under the Economic Regional Development Agreements (ERDAs).

Subsidiary or Cooperative Agri-food Agreements (administered by Agriculture Canada and the provincial departments of agriculture) are currently in place with Newfoundland, Prince Edward Iland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and British Columbia.

The general objectives of the Agreements are to enhance through financial support, the economic viability of the agri-food system. This is achieved through programs which are established in each province according to its needs and priorities. All provinces with sub-agreements have programs in place in support of marketing.

e.g. Canada/Nova Scotia Agri-Food Agreement has a Market Development Program, the objectives of which are to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Nova Scotia Agri-Food Marketing system and to identify, develop and expand viable long-term markets for Nova Scotia products.

Federal

Different departments of the federal government administer numerous acts and programs which impact upon marketing.

The Meat Inspection Act administered by Agriculture Canada regulates the processing, manufacturing and packaging of meat and meat products in interprovincial and export trade.

The Food and Drugs Act administered by Health and Welfare Canada controls the sale of food stored at retail with regard to storage conditions, labelling, nutritional information and misleading advertising.

A number of federal departments have Markets Information Programs which provide data on prices, production, trade. Others supply technical information and conduct research. These all impact on the marketing of food and food products.

Canadian Agri-Food Development Initiative (CAFDI) - Agriculture Canada

Facilitates economic development in the Canadian agricultural and food products industry through the provision of financial assistance on a cost-shared basis for various activities including marketing.

e.g. Production of a video for presentation at an international meeting to increase buyers' awareness of Canadian livestock.

Export Expansion Fund

Supports activities aimed at resolving technical barriers to the export of agri-food
e.g. Improved knowledge on goose breeding stock

Program for Export Market Development

A trade promotion program which offers financial assistance on a cost sharing basis to Canadian businesses to increase export sales.

e.g. Industry participation in visits, trade missions and trade fairs, bidding on specific foreign projects and establishing export consortia and permanent sales offices in existing export markets.

The Export Development Corporation (EDC) - a Crown Corporation (reports to Parliament through the Minister for International Affairs)

This organisation offers export insurance, and export financing in the forma of loans, lines of credit and loan guarantees.

Regional

Western Economic Diversification Canada

This is a federal department responsible for promoting the diversification of the western Canada economy and for advancing the West's interests in national and economic policy. This is done through the Western Diversification Program which funds innovative ways to help western Canadian business people develop new products, markets and technology and productivity improvements and import replacements.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

This is a federal government development agency providing financial support, and expertise and advice to entrepreneurs in the Atlantic region. Eligible sectors include manufacturing and processing, but do not include agriculture per se, although initiatives which could represent a strategic investment for the economic development of the Atlantic region might be considered.

APPENDIX IV

NORTH AMERICAN GAME BIRD ASSOCIATIONS

Association des éleveurs d'oiseaux fermiers
Ferme avicole d'Oka Inc.
1525 Chemin Oka
Comté Deux Montagnes, Oka (Quebec)
JON 1E0
Claude Dicaire, secrétaire (514) 479-6610

Ontario Game Bird Association
Gold Creek Farms Ltd.
R.R. 2, Mt Brydges (Ont.) NOL 1W0 (519) 245-1329
Ken Hook, President (613) 336-8552

Commercial Pheasant Producers Cooperative Ltd.
P.O. Box 288
Kerrobert (Saskatchewan) SOL 1R0
Jim Wilson (306) 834-5156

North American Gamebird Association
Wildlife Harvest
P.O. Box 96
Goose Lake (Iowa) 52750

John Mullin, editor (319) 242-3046
Peggy Mullin Boehmer, Assistant editor (319) 242-3046

APPENDIX V

GAME BIRD RESEARCH UNDERWAY IN NORTH AMERICA

Source : Poultry Science Resource List, July 1990, USDA Extension Service,
Washington

Source : Poultry Abstracts, 1988-1990

--

Table 3 (Updated September 2001) - Game Birds slaughtered at Federally Registered Establishments

Source: CFIA Inspected Establishments

Table 4 (Updated September 2001) - Trade in Game Bird Meat (kg)

Source: CFIA Meat Hygiene Inspection Certificates

--

Game Bird Survey 1997 (head)

* Including pheasant, partridge, quail, wild turkey, squab and colins (a cousin to the quail) but excluding guinea fowl and silkies

Source: CFIA Import and Slaughter data; 1997 Hatchery Survey; Provincial Slaughter Data

2% birds hatched are retained for breeding purposes, but this has not been included in the calculation as the previous year's breeding stock would be slaughtered in the current year.

To corroborate these results hatcheries were also asked what percentage of their birds went for hunting and what percentage for meat. Not all hatcheries could answer as they custom hatch and/or sell to producers and do not know what happens to the birds. Responses obtained indicated that 97% were used for meat purposes and 3% for hunting.

Important Notices

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